Infanta Marie Anne of Portugal - Marriage and Children

Marriage and Children

Before her marriage with William IV, Grand Duke of Luxembourg she was considered by Emperor Franz Joseph I of Austria as a suitable bride to his only son and heir, Rudolf, Crown Prince of Austria but Rudolf did not like her and she would remain single for the next years. Infanta Maria Ana was married on 21 June 1893 at Schloss Fischhorn, Zell am See, to the Protestant William, Hereditary Grand Duke of Luxembourg, the eldest child and heir apparent of Adolphe, Grand Duke of Luxembourg, head of the House of Nassau. It was agreed that the children would be raised in their mother's Catholic faith, because that was the religion of the overwhelming majority of Luxembourg's population.

The couple had six daughters and no sons.

• Marie-Adélaïde, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (1894–1924) who remained unmarried and childless
• Charlotte, Grand Duchess of Luxembourg (1896–1985) who married her first cousin Prince Felix of Bourbon-Parma, a son of Marie Anne's younger sister.
• Princess Hilda (Berg Castle, 15 February 1897 - Berg Castle, 8 September 1979), married in Berg Castle on 29 October 1930 Adolf 10te Fürst zu Schwarzenberg (Frauenberg, 18 August 1890 - Bordighera, 27 February 1950), without issue
• Princess Antonia (1899–1954), who married Crown Prince Rupprecht of Bavaria as his second wife
• Princess Elisabeth (Luxembourg, 7 March 1901 - Schloss Hohenburg, 2 August 1950), married in Schloss Hohenburg on 14 November 1922 Prince Ludwig Philipp of Thurn and Taxis (Regensburg, 2 February 1901 - Schloss Niederaichbach, 22 April 1933), son of Albert I, Prince of Thurn and Taxis, and had issue
• Princess Sophie (Berg Castle, 14 February 1902 - Munich, 24 May 1941), married at Schloss Hohenburg on 12 April 1921 Prince Ernst Heinrich of Saxony (Dresden, 9 December 1896 - Coolamber, Ireland, 14 June 1971), youngest son of king Frederick Augustus III of Saxony, and had issue

William became grand duke on the death of his father on 17 November 1905, and Marie Anne became grand duchess.

Because William was the last agnate of the House of Nassau, he had Marie-Adelaide confirmed and proclaimed heir presumptive on 10 July 1907. Upon her father's death, she became the first reigning Grand Duchess of Luxembourg. Following her abdication on 14 January 1919, her sister Charlotte succeeded her on the throne.

Grand Duchess Marie Anne was regent for her husband during his terminal illness from 19 November 1908 to 15 February 1912, and then regent for her daughter, Grand Duchess Marie-Adélaïde, during her minority from 25 February 1912 to 18 June 1912.

Dowager Grand Duchess Marie Anne died in exile in New York on 31 July 1942, the family having fled Germany because of World War II.